This invention relates generally to catheters, and more particularly, to a catheter for delivering a viscous therapeutic material.
There are many instances in which it is desirable to deliver a therapeutic material to a target location, such as directly to tissue to be treated by the therapeutic material. Relatively low viscosity fluids (comprising or carrying therapeutic material) may be readily delivered with conventional catheters in minimally invasive procedures. However, low viscosity fluids are often retained poorly following injection into tissues, particularly in tissues such as the myocardium. Although relatively high viscosity fluids may have higher retention, and some therapeutic materials are only available in high viscosity forms, they may be difficult or impossible to deliver at acceptable flow rates with acceptable delivery pressures through the long, narrow catheters typically used for minimally invasive procedures.